More
by thousand-miles
Summary: Sequel to Safe. You don't have to read that one to understand this one, but it would explain some things. It seemed so natural for her to be there with him and Emily. He liked it. He had always been drawn to her, right from the first meeting.
1. Chapter 1

Title: More

Author: thousand-miles

Disclaimer: Don't own any of this

Rating: K+

Spoilers: Season 1, Blinded

Summary: Sequel to Safe. You don't have to read that one to understand this one, but it would explain some things. It seemed so natural for her to be there with him and Emily. He liked it. He had always been drawn to her, right from the first meeting.

A/N: So after writing Safe I felt the need to write some more and felt there was still more to say after Safe. So I did. I've written about three chapters so far. I make no promises for updates. This is angst combined with comfort and romance. I like the idea of this sweet, caring Cal Lightman who takes care of Gillian. And I decided that Emily should have a part too because i like the interaction between Emily and Gillian. English is not my native language, but I try no to make too many mistakes. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. And a big thank you goes out to my beta, Chris, who's helped me out a lot!

**Chapter one**

"Will you please come with me, Gillian?" Emily Lightman was sitting on the couch in her office.

"What about your mother?"

"She'll be at work and I need a dress for Jessie's party. Please?" Emily tried again.

Gillian hesitated. She enjoyed spending time with Emily and she loved to shop. All in all there was no reason not to go. But she didn't want to intrude. After all she was just a business partner. "What about your dad?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Seriously, he'd be complaining the entire time about how long it's taking, the dress will either be too short, to revealing, too dark, or too bright. No, I'd rather not have a new dress than go shopping with my dad. I only need his credit card."

She smiled. It was true. Cal would be grumpy the entire trip. She couldn't let that happen and the fact was, she wanted to go. "I'd love to join you."

Emily jumped up from the couch, walked over to Gillian and gave her a quick hug. "Thank you! Can you come pick me up? We'll do lunch first and then we'll go shopping."

"No problem. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Thanks again, Gillian." Emily was about to leave her office, when Cal walked in. He looked from his daughter to his best friend and partner, back to his daughter. They were up to something.

"What's going on, ladies?"

"Gillian's going to come shopping for a dress with me tomorrow. Gotta go. Bye." Emily gave her father a hug too before she left.

"You know." Cal began as he walked further into Gillian's office. "You don't have to go with her if you don't want to. She can get a bit…pushy when she's excited and shopping always gets her excited."

Gillian smiled at Cal. Ever since the Jenkins' copycat attack, he'd been her rock. While she dealt with the aftermath of that attack and her failing marriage that ended in divorce, he'd been there to comfort her whenever she needed it He never pushed, but always let her know that he was there. After her divorce had been finalized, their friendship had grown. They spend more time together at work, after hours. He checked up on her more. They shared more moments together in their offices. But they hardly spent time together outside the office. She'd spend an occasional evening at his house, sharing dinner with him and Emily. But never an evening alone with him. She wondered why that was. Didn't he want to spend more time together? Or did he have another reason? She wasn't sure. But she also wasn't sure how she felt. She'd found out that Cal had gone back to Zoe for a short while. It made her doubt what the next step should be. After all she was no Zoe and his tendency to go back and forth with his ex-wife made her insecure. "She wasn't pushy, besides I like spending time with her. Unless you mind?"

"Of course not. She loves spending time with you too. It's okay to say no though." He watched her for a moment. She looked great in her dark blue skirt and white blouse. She was a beautiful woman and it was a fact that never escaped him. His Gillian, that's what he allowed himself to call her in his mind, was extraordinary. He thought about the line more often lately. It had been put in place to keep some things private and prevent each other from reading one another. But he'd always wanted to cross it, because he'd always been drawn to Gillian. However, he wasn't sure though if Gillian was ready. She was only just divorced. These last couple of months had been a whirlwind of emotions for her. If he was going to put his heart on the line, he needed to know she wasn't still dealing with her feelings from the divorce. Right after the divorce her emotions had been all over the place. There were times when she would close off from everything and everybody and there were days when she was the life of the party. Lately though she was back to the Gillian he knew and loved. Which made him think about taking that next step. However, he wasn't going to be the rebound guy. He wanted to be the right guy, her only guy. Those thoughts, that insecurity was what led him back to his ex-wife. Something he truly regretted. It was the reason why he'd kept Gillian at arms length. But he wanted to change that. He wanted to see what they could be. He needed to know if his gut feeling that they belonged together was right. "Would you like to stay for dinner after you and Emily finish shopping? It would be my way of thanking you for getting me out of a shopping trip."

She gave him her soft smile. "I'd love to."

After picking Emily up the following day, the two women first enjoyed a nice lunch together. Waiting for their food to come, they talked about whatever came to mind.

"I'm so happy you wanted to come. Not just because I need a woman's opinion but also because I like spending time with you. " She truly did. She liked Gillian. Always had, even if her mother seemed to dislike her father's partner. Gillian listened to her, treated her as an equal. She knew her dad liked Gillian a lot. She didn't quite know why he didn't do anything about it. When it came to Gillian, her father seemed unsure maybe even insecure. That was quite something, considering he never lacked confidence. She didn't know how Gillian felt. Now that she was divorced there finally was a chance for them to get together. Gillian was good for her father. They were yin and yang, they balanced each other and most of all, they belonged together. "I was wondering how you are, Gillian. Are you doing better?"

"I am actually. I'm enjoying life. I feel like myself again and that feels great. I kinda lost my way during and shortly after the divorce."

"Do you miss Alec?"

Gillian thought about that for a moment. "No, I don't miss him, but I do feel lonely sometimes. After being together for so long and now being on my own. I sometimes miss having someone around."

"You can come over to us anytime you feel like that. I wish you'd come over more often anyway. You're always welcome. "

"Thank you, that's sweet. I don't want to intrude though."

"You never intrude. We both love to have you around. You know dad's always happier with you around."

Emily decided to take a bit of a risk by telling Gillian what she thought. "I think you're good for him, and…I think he could be good for you too." Emily rambled on. "You know he lights up every time he sees you. Don't you see that?" She paused for a moment, hoping the words would sink in. "He tells me you're his best friend. He's a good man, Gillian. He doesn't trust easy, but he trusts you. Doesn't that tell you enough?" Emily looked around for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "He won't admit it, you know. I asked him once. He denied it. I could tell he was lying. Guess he's not ready yet." She sighed. "I hate it that he went back to mom even if it was only for a short while. They think I don't know, but I did. They're not good for each other. Don't know why they can't see that. I can't deal with the arguments. I…" She looked at her father's best friend, hoping for some clarity.

Gillian didn't know how to respond. She knew Cal had gone back to his ex-wife for a while. She knew the routine. She hated that he sought her out every once in a while, but she was in no position to say anything. She was only there to pick up the pieces. Like she'd done so many times before. It was one of those things that made her unsure of what was the right thing to do for them.

"I really don't know what to say, Emily." She started after the waitress brought them their order. "Your dad and I, we're…." What were they to each other? Best friends, business partners. "I really don't know. I've only been divorced for a short time now. I've just started getting my life back together. I don't know what the future holds. Your father, he's my best friend. He'll always be in my life. Of that I have no doubt. However in what capacity? I don't know. Things are never as easy as they seem."

"He loves you. Don't you love him?"

That was a loaded question and she didn't really know the answer. She wasn't sure. "I…Like I said, he's my best friend. Of course I love him."

"No, Gillian. That's not what I mean and you know it."

She should have known Emily was going to call her on that. After all she was her father's daughter. "I don't have a simple answer for that one. I honestly don't."

"Okay. " For Emily that was all she needed. Given time and if her father behaved, she thought they would get together. In the end, you simply couldn't deny fate at least that was her opinion. "I want him to be happy and he's happiest when he's with you."

After lunch their shopping trip began and it ended successfully. Emily found a dress for her friend's party. It was a nice purple, knee length dress, with small straps and a flower embellishment. Taking Gillian's advice she'd also bought new shoes complimented her dress. Gillian had also found a new dress. Hers was royal blue, with wider straps than Emily's dress. It showed a bit more cleavage, but not too much so she could still wear it to work. She really liked the way it flowed as she walked. With this dress and the new shoes she bought, she was ready for spring to finally begin.

The two women were laughing as they entered the Lightman residence. It was a bit later than planned because they'd gone for drinks after their shopping trip. They'd deserved it was what they'd said to Cal when he'd called them.

"Seems like you two ladies had a good time." Cal said as he watched the two enter his house. He smiled. He liked to see Gillian and Emily together. "It appears your shopping was successful, huh." He looked at the shopping bags in their hands.

"It was great, dad." Emily greeted her father with a kiss on the cheek. "We had a lot of fun and we found a great dress."

"Is there still money left for necessities like food and drinks?" Cal asked his daughter even though his eyes were on Gillian. There was a sparkle in her eyes and he liked seeing it. It had been too long.

"And Gillian bought a beautiful dress too. You've gotta see it, dad."

He wouldn't mind seeing that dress at all, he thought. "Well you two can give me a fashion show later. First it's time to eat. Okay? I waited forever for you two."

He waited for Gillian to put her bags down and when she joined him, he put his hand on the small of her back and guided her to his kitchen. Not that she needed guidance; she knew where the kitchen was. But he wanted the contact, wanted to feel her nearby. "Did she behave herself?" He softly asked.

She smiled at him and patted his arm. "Yes, Cal she did. Unlike you, she knows how to behave in public. We had a great time."

He stopped and looked at her, really looked. She looked beautiful and he was so happy to see that sparkle back in her captivating blue eyes. He was glad his daughter had helped put it there, though part of him wanted it to be him that brought that sparkle to her eyes. Not wanting to get caught staring he knew he had to say something. "I'm glad." Was all he could manage to say, not even responding to her teasing.

Dinner at Cal's was always enjoyable. Not only was the food great, this time he'd prepared an Indian curry, she enjoyed the banter between father and daughter. She liked to watch their interaction. She liked to see this side of him. He was such a great father. When he was around Emily he was so much softer, so much more caring, gentler even. She was glad she was allowed to see this side of him. Sometimes she even wondered what it would be like to be on the receiving end of that side of him. Other times she wondered what it would be like to be part of his family. She liked to just sit there and listen and that was what she did. She however couldn't ignore the bit of sadness that crept up. If Sophie hadn't been taken away, she would have had a family every day.

Cal kept sneaking glances at Gillian during dinner. It was something he did whenever she was in the room. It seemed so natural for her to be there with him and Emily. He liked it. He had always been drawn to her, right from the first meeting. But he'd been married and he ignored the attraction.

The three of them finished dinner and cleaned up. Cal made coffee for Gillian and Emily and a cup of tea for himself. They settled down in the living room and Cal wanted to know more about their day.

"Gillian knows the best stores, dad."

"I bet she does." He wasn't surprised. Gillian always dressed impeccably. "So how much did this trip cost me?"

"Dad!" Emily glared at her father. "Wait till you see it, it's worth every cent, right Gillian?"

He smiled, pleased that he'd gotten a reaction from his daughter. He looked at Gillian who smiled at well.

"It's a beautiful dress, Emily. Why don't you show it? He'll be stunned."

Gillian waited for Emily to leave before she turned to Cal and shook her head.

"What?" He tried to go for innocence but failed.

"You know what."

"You had a good day, luv?" He asked, changing the subject. He was glad to be alone with her for a moment.

"Yeah, we had fun. You have a great daughter."

"That I do." He said proudly. "Don't know who she got that from, not from me or Zoe."

"There's a lot of you in her, but luckily she has manners." She smirked.

"Hey!" He smiled, enjoying their banter. It was nice to be able to spend a part of his Saturday with her.

"So what do you think?" Emily asked as she walked back into the living room, wearing her new dress and shoes.

Cal was silent. She looked beautiful. His little girl was growing up. "You look beautiful luv." He walked over to her and hugged her. "I don't care what it cost. It's well worth it."

"Thanks dad." She walked over to Gillian and sat down next to her. "It was Gillian who spotted it. We're going to go shopping again sometime, right?"

"We will. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now go change or your dress will be all wrinkled."

"Right." Emily stood up. "Oow, you gotta show dad your dress, Gillian." Emily turned to the two adults.

"Yes, please show me your dress." Cal smiled. He wanted to see Gillian in her new dress, would even like it more if his daughter wouldn't be there.

"No, I don't think so."

"Come on Gillian, it's such a beautiful dress. Dad would love to see it." Emily tried again.

"Yes, Gillian, I would." He teased.

"I'm sure you would, but no. Since you didn't pay for it, I don't have to show you."

"If you show me, I'll probably pay for it."

Gillian laughed. "I'm pretty sure you would. But no, I'm not going to model the dress for you here. If you want me to wear it for you, give me a reason to."

For a few seconds Cal was stunned. Before he could say anything, Emily walked back into the room, sat down next to Gillian again and asked if they wanted to watch a movie. He'd heard the question, but didn't answer. His mind was still on Gillian.

Gillian smiled. It wasn't often that Cal Lightman was left speechless. "Maybe some other time, Emily. It's time for me to go home."

"Why? Please stay. We could watch a chick flick. I never get to watch one here. Dad can't seem to shut up whenever I watch one so I usually turn it off. It's better for the both of us. But now with you here, I'm pretty sure he'll behave." Emily glared at her father.

"We'll watch one at my place some time, what do you think about that? Then your dad won't be able to bother us."

"Sounds great." Standing up, Emily walked to Gillian and gave her a hug. "Thanks for today. It was great."

"I'm glad. I had a great time too."

Cal walked her to his front door. He didn't want her to leave. "You don't have to go, Gillian." He tried again.

She hesitated, but it seemed for the best. She knew how much Cal cherished the time he had with his daughter. "I don't want to intrude on your time with Emily. I already spent a big part of the day with her. "

He stepped closer to her, leaving little space between them. "You're never an intrusion, luv. Don't ever think that." His voice was stern. He didn't like that Gillian thought she'd be intruding on his time with his daughter. "You're always welcome. You're part of the family." And she was, maybe not in the way he wanted her to be. He had one more thing to deal with. "How about you show me your dress when we're going out to dinner."

Even though she had challenged him to this, she was still surprised by his invitation and seeing the smile on his face, she guessed showed that. And knowing Cal as well as she did, he wasn't going to let that one slide by.

"What luv, think I would ignore the chance to see you in your new dress?" He stepped even closer, his body almost touching her. "Not a chance, Gill, not a chance." He whispered in her ear before he stepped back. He was pleased with her reaction to his closeness, there'd been a slight shiver and her eyes darkened a bit. Had she always reacted to him in this way and had he not seen it? Or had things changed recently? He didn't know, but her reaction excited him. "Friday, okay?"

Gillian nodded. She briefly touched his arm. "Goodnight, Cal." With a kiss on his cheek, she left him alone at his front door.

**TBC...**


	2. Black and Blue again

A/N: Well here's chapter two. Thank you for the kind reviews. It was unexpected, but they made my day. So I've thrown in some angst because I like it when Cal takes care of Gillian. I like sweet, caring Cal and a vulnerable Gillian. To some this change will probably be a disappointment. I am sorry for that. But there will be carefree, lighter moments, but first some angst to make them deal with it.

**Chapter two**

He hated that he was here again. It brought back memories he'd rather forget. His Gillian was hurt again and again he was waiting to see her in the hospital. She'd been gone for about an hour when the call had come. Apparently she'd chosen him as her emergency contact. All he heard was that he had to come to the hospital because Gillian was there. Thankfully they did say her injuries weren't life threatening. Otherwise he'd probably have an accident on the way to the hospital. But he didn't know what was wrong or what had happened. Had she been in a car accident? Had someone hurt her?

"Mr. Lightman?"

He'd been so lost in thought that he missed the doctor standing in front of him. His heart was pounding and he could admit to himself that he was scared at what the doctor was going to say. He had to calm himself down. He took a deep breath. "Yeah, that's me. How is she?"

"Miss Foster has bruised ribs, a dislocated shoulder, some cuts on her arms and a cut just above her eye. She'll need time to heal, but nothing's broken, nor are there any internal injuries."

"What happened?" What had caused these injuries?

"Miss Foster was in a car accident. Apparently the other driver ignored the red light."

"Bloody hell." The words escaped him. "Can I see her?"

"Of course, sir. Let me take you to her."

Cal followed the doctor. There was a lot going through his mind, but one feeling stood out. He was scared. For the second time he'd come close to losing his best friend, the person beside his daughter who mattered most in his life and still she didn't know how much she meant to him.

"The nurse is finishing the paperwork. She'll give you the prescription for the pain medication. I presume you will be taking care of her because she will need help. Her bruised ribs and dislocated shoulder will make it difficult for her to move around. She's banged up and bruised. Her body will need to heal and she needs to give it time to heal. Now I've noticed she has a bit of a stubborn streak, which I am sure you are aware of. You have to get her to rest, okay."

To hear that her stubborn streak was still there made him smile. He considered it to be a good sign. That smile however quickly disappeared when he entered her room and saw her sitting in the bed black and bruised again. "Even if you looked good in black and blue, I never wanted to see that on you again." He spoke softly.

Gillian opened her eyes when she heard Cal's voice and tears threatened to fall. She took a breath. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Standing beside her hospital bed, he laid his hand on hers. "You have nothing to apologize for." He was silent for a moment, simply watching her and taking her in. Gone was the sparkle in her eyes. In its place was sadness and pain. There was a bandage above her left eye, covering part of her eyebrow. Her left arm was in a sling, holding it close to her body. She seemed so small and vulnerable and the need to protect her surfaced again. He noticed that she was avoiding his eyes and he wasn't sure why. From her body language when he'd entered the room he knew she was relieved that he was there. At a closer look she even seemed nervous. He didn't understand.

"Mr. Lightman, I finished the paperwork. Here's the prescription for her pain medication. And Miss Foster," the nurse addressed Gillian, "don't be stubborn. Take the medication and let your body heal."

The nurse turned to Cal. "She wouldn't let us examine her or call you. Kept saying she was fine. Luckily the pain got to her and we could examine her."

He was surprised that Gillian didn't want the hospital staff to call him. He thanked the nurse and turned back to Gillian. "Let's get you home, okay?"

When she again refused to meet his eyes, he didn't ignore it. He put his finger under her chin and gently lifted her head. Pained blue eyes met his, but the shame he saw was what got to him. Why did she feel ashamed? "I don't know why you're feeling shame, but you have nothing to be ashamed about, okay." When she nodded, he let it go, for now.

Arriving back at his home, he helped Gillian out of his car and into his house. Emily met them at the door and he left them alone to go to Gillian's house and grab some of her belongings since she would be staying with him for the next couple of days. And now that he had her stuff, she couldn't use that as an excuse to flee. Because he knew she was going to try.

Back at his house again, he found his daughter in the kitchen. "What happened to her?" Emily asked.

"She was in a car accident. Someone ran a red light."

"She's really quiet. I don't understand." She looked at her father for the answer.

"I know, luv. She needs time."

"Okay." She knew her dad would take care of Gillian. "Goodnight, dad."

"Goodnight."

Cal walked into his living room where Gillian was seated on the couch, somewhat huddled into the corner. He didn't understand what was going on with her. Of course she'd been in an accident and clearly that shook her up. But something else was going on. She'd never before closed herself off from him. Not even after Sophie returned to her biological mother. For now he was going to let it slide. He would take care of her, whether she wanted him to or not. And when her body was healed, he would talk to her about what he saw.

He quietly sat down next to her, letting her feel his presence beside her. She surprised him by immediately turning towards him. There were tears in her eyes. Carefully he lifted his arm so she could move and lean into him, which she did. He felt the tears running down her cheek. She confused him. She didn't want him at the hospital, but now she seemed to want his comfort. He didn't mind, but he didn't understand it either. Cal gently ran his hand through her hair. "It's okay, Gillian. You're safe. I'm right here." The words seemed to have a calming effect on her and he was glad. They sat in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. The soft painful groan he heard from Gillian, stirred him back into action. "I'm gonna get you your pain medication and then you're going to bed."

He returned from the kitchen with a glass of water and her pain medication. He waited for her to take it and then helped her off the couch. Slowly they walked up the stairs towards his bedroom. He couldn't believe he was here again with Gillian in almost the same circumstances. After having her in his bed the first time, he'd imagined the second time to be a lot different. He'd imagined there being kissing, clothes shedding and a lot of passion.

He helped her get her sling off and just like a few months ago, he helped her get changed. Both were quiet and unsure of what to say. Cal didn't want to push and Gillian was drowsy because of the pain medication. He pulled the bed covers aside for her to get in. Slowly she got under the covers, her face a mix of pain and sleep. "Get some sleep, luv. Call me if you need me." He kissed her forehead, turned off the light, looked back to watch her for a moment before leaving his bedroom, the door kept slightly ajar.

When Gillian woke up it took her a moment to recognize her surroundings. She was in Cal's bedroom. Shifting slightly she immediately felt pain. That's when she remembered the car accident. She remembered being in her car, thinking about her day with Emily and Cal when all of a sudden there was the collision and she was thrown against the side window. After that it was all fuzzy. But one thing stood out, her need for to Cal to be there and how that had thrown off balance.

Carefully she sat up and got out of his bed to go to the bathroom. Walking back from the bathroom she felt the pain intensify and she knew she needed another painkiller. Checking the nightstand in the bedroom she couldn't find it. It was probably downstairs, but she didn't' feel physically able to walk down the stairs. She carefully climbed back into the bed and tried to relax. That however didn't work. The pain gradually got worse and the tears started to fall. She knew she needed to calm down, the crying and shakes were only making it worse, but she couldn't. She hated this helplessness; she hated feeling weak and needing Cal to be by her side. She didn't like that dependence and judging by her current state, she guessed she'd be needing him for the next few days.

Cal quietly walked up the stairs to his bedroom to could check on Gillian. He'd checked on her a few hours ago and was glad she'd been asleep. Approaching his bedroom door he heard soft sobs and they pained him. Immediately he opened the door to his room. There she was in his bed, her back to him. With a few strides he was at her side, crouching down, his hand cradling her cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "Hi, Gill. Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"Pain." She whispered between sobs.

"I've got your painkillers. I'll grab some water, okay?" Grabbing a glass of water Cal couldn't help but wonder if the pain was the sole cause of her tears. His gut feeling told him there was more to it. He helped her sit up and handed her the painkiller and the glass. He shifted her to the middle of his bed so he could sit down next her and she could lean into him with her good shoulder. "Come here, luv." Putting his arm around her waist he pulled her closer. With her head now on his shoulder he felt her calm down. He gently rubbed her back. He was glad her sobs were subsiding, knowing they caused her already bruised body more pain. After sitting with her in silence for while he felt her body relax, telling him she was about to fall asleep. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be here, Gillian." He whispered.

Not expecting a response he was surprised when he felt her placing a soft kiss in his neck. It sent a shiver through his body. "Thank you, Cal."

**TBC..**


	3. Anger and frustration

A/N: Pfff chapter three was a struggle. There had to be some tension between Cal and Gillian. I believe that Cal will push when Gillian won't let him in. I hope it's not too OOC. I try to stay as close to the characters as possible. I've written part of chapter four already, but it's not ready yet. Thanks to all those who favorite this fix, thanks for the reviews. It always brightens my day. I hope you enjoy. And... I did something terrible when I posted chapter two. I forgot to thank my wonderful beta Chris. So Chris, thanks for your help!

**Chapter three**

Gillian had been at Cal's house for a week now and she was getting restless. She was feeling better but her ribs were still sore and moving around still wasn't easy. Living with Cal and Emily this week had left her angry and frustrated. The reason? Simply she'd realized that this was what she wanted, she wanted to be part of their family. She tried hard not to let them show both the anger and frustration, but every day it got a bit harder. And with Cal constantly keeping an eye on her, she really didn't know how long she could keep it up.

Cal was in his study trying to get some work done, but he couldn't concentrate. His mind was on Gillian. It was obvious she was distressed. She was frustrated and angry. He tried to give her some more space, but she still needed his help so he did make sure he was nearby. He was pretty sure she was about to explode sooner rather than later. He wanted her to tell him what was going on in her mind. Since she didn't want to volunteer the information and that was something that hurt him, he knew he had to force her hand. It was something he dreaded to do to her and to them because he was sure it would hurt their friendship. Maybe it would even hurt their future. He didn't know, but he knew he had to do it because he had to get his Gillian back.

He closed his laptop and walked back into the living room where Gillian was seated on his couch watching television. He sat down next to her and stayed quiet. He wanted to see if she was going to talk.

After a short silence, neither really watching the television, it was Gillian who started. "I wanna go home, Cal."

He stayed quiet. Her words didn't surprise him. He could do two things. Agree with her even if he didn't, knowing it was what she wanted or try to get her to talk about what was bothering her. He needed her to talk, needed to know what was going on with her. Only then he could help. With Gillian that sometimes meant a bit of a push.

"And how do you think you're going to get home?"

"I'll call a cab."

"And who's going to help you get your belongings together?"

"I can do that myself."

"Really? How exactly? You're still on pain medication. You can hardly grab a cup of coffee. How are you even going to take care of yourself when you're home alone, Gillian?" He paused for a moment. "Or would you rather stay at home, feeling miserable, unable to take care of yourself then stay here with Emily and me?"

Gillian sighed, mentioning Emily wasn't fair and he knew it. She knew he was trying to provoke her, but she wasn't going to give in. "I just wanna be in my own home, in my own bed, surrounded by my own things."

Her answer and tone of voice surprised him. He'd expected and wanted her to get angry and let out her frustration. Instead she went for honesty and vulnerability and knew it would throw him off. He decided to go with honesty too. "Is that why you're so distressed? You could have told me. I would have taken you home." He sighed. "I want you to be comfortable. I thought you were comfortable here with me and Emily." He shifted closer and continued. "I just want you to get better and if being here doesn't help your healing process then we need to find you a place that does. If that's your place, then we'll go there. But, I'm not going to leave you alone, Gillian. If you want to go to your home, I'm going to stay with you. You're not going to get rid of me, luv."

He was gentle and caring again like he'd been the entire time during her stay and she couldn't handle that. "Damn you, Cal. Don't do this."

"And what exactly am I doing?"

"You're smothering me. You're always hovering. I can't… I need to be alone."

"Why?"

Why? Because her feelings scared her and she didn't want to deal with them. "I don't have to explain myself to you, Cal."

Her frustration was reaching the surface. "You don't have to, but I'd rather know why don't you want to?"

Another question and another one she didn't want to answer. "Will you stop with the questions? I'm not going to explain myself to you." She raised her voice.

Got her, he thought. "Why not, Gillian? I'm your best friend, or at least I thought I was, but I'm not so sure anymore. You've been pushing me away this entire week. You're clearly frustrated and you're angry. Why? What have I done?" Guilt always worked with her. "All I wanna do is take care of you, to make sure you heal, that your body heals. But you won't let me. Why not, Gillian?"

"Will you just stop, Cal. I don't wanna talk about it. Why can't you take no for an answer? Just leave me be. Stop reading me and leave me alone." Carefully she stood up and tried to stomp out of the living room.

"Never picked you for a coward, Gillian." He followed her. "Aren't you always telling me to use my words? It's time you used yours." He taunted her.

"You want me to talk? Fine, I'll talk." She turned around and faced him. She knew she was giving him exactly what he wanted, but she didn't care anymore. "You make me angry and confused. You make me long for something that I never thought I could have and it hurts to be confronted with it every day. That's why I want to go home. I don't need this pain." She was trying hard to keep the tears at bay.

Dammit, he pushed and pushed and now she was almost in tears and he didn't even want to think about her words yet. He was hurting her. His home was hurting her. He took a deep breath, stepped closer and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry, luv. I'll help you get your things and take you home."

The next couple of days, Gillian and Cal managed, but their friendship was strained. They still hadn't talked about their argument. Gillian's words still lingered. Cal hated that they were out of sync. It made him feel unsure. Gillian gave him strength, she'd always done so and now he didn't feel as strong. Her words never left his mind because she'd told him so much and he wanted to tell her he wanted her to be part of his family. That for him she already was part of the family and that he wanted her by his side every day.

Gillian's recovery was going well and it wouldn't take long before she'd kick him out of her house. So they had to talk before the chance would pass him by. Standing up he searched for Gillian. But the ringing of the doorbell interrupted his search. He opened the door and found a woman with long blond hair.

"Hi." The woman greeted Cal, shaking his hand. " You must be Cal."

"I am."

"I'm Abby."

He'd heard about Abby from Gillian. She was one of Gillian's closest friends who'd only recently moved back to the area. He knew Gillian had told Abby about the accident. Though he'd seen some of Gillian's friends at her birthday, he'd never met Abby before. "Come in. You must be here to visit the patient."

"Thanks. And how's the patient doing?"

"She's doing well."

"Giving you a hard time?"

"Eeuuh.." Cal hesitated.

"Yeah, I know she is. I remembered back in college, she had the flu. Couldn't do a thing, but she didn't want to miss one day. I think she was even surprised that her stubbornness didn't beat the flu and she finally did have to stay at home. It was awful. She couldn't stop complaining."

Cal laughed. He had no trouble picturing that. Gillian was a stubborn and strong-minded woman. "I'll go find Gillian for you."

"No need, Cal. I'm here." Gillian appeared behind him.

"Ok, how about I get you two ladies a coffee and then I'll get out of your hair."

Gillian nodded and smiled. Cal slightly touched her hand as he passed her. He needed that short connection.

"How come you never told me Cal was hot! He can take care of me any time." Abby said as she and Gillian settled down on the couch. Cal had left the house a few minutes earlier.

Gillian blushed. She couldn't deny it. Cal was an attractive man.

"Just admit you like him." Abby caught Gillian's blush. Not that it was a surprise. Though Abby had never met Cal but she'd heard a lot about him from Gillian. And for her it was obvious that her friend had feelings for her partner. She wanted her friend to be happy. Gillian deserved to be happy after that awful divorce. From the short moment she'd seen Cal and Gillian together, she'd seen a lot. She saw Cal's concern and affection. But she also felt the tension between the two. And she also saw Gillian's insecurity. She knew her friend good enough to guess where it came from.

"I thought you were here to see how I was, not to talk about Cal."

"True." Abby smiled. "But I'm guessing those two things are linked. But we'll get to that later. How are you Gillian?"

"I'm getting better every day."

"Good." Never one to beat around the Abby got back on track, which was Cal and Gillian. "Now back to where we left off. Why are you back at your own home?" Abby had talked to Gillian the previous week when she'd still been at Cal's.

"I wanted to be surrounded by my own things, sleep in my own bed."

"With Cal?"

"Abby!"

"What? Ooh right, bruised ribs, you can't do anything even if you want to. And you know you want to." Abby grinned. She was happy to see that Gillian smiled too. "Tell me what happened, Gill?" Her tone was serious again.

"I…it got too real."

"Being a family with Cal and Emily?"

"Yeah." She whispered.

Having a family was something Abby wished for her best friend. She'd seen the pain Gillian had gone through after losing Sophie and then again after the divorce. "Why won't you let yourself believe?"

"I'm in enough physical pain already. I don't need to add to that."

"Why does it have to be pain? Why can't it be happiness?"

"Because…" Gillian sighed. "I just can't go through that again. It hurt too much."

"So you let fear rule? You won't take the chance because you're afraid? And that's why you're pushing Cal away?" She looked her friend in the eyes and saw the sadness. "In those few minutes I saw you with Cal, I saw more care and affection than I ever saw Alec show. Cal cares deeply for you. I know you care about him a lot. You're attracted to him. He seems to be a good man from what you've told me. You deserve a good man. Someone who loves you, takes care of you and puts you first. You deserve that. Why won't you let yourself believe?"

"I'm afraid. It's Cal and me and we've got the business. He's my best friend. I don't want to lose that. I can't because I can't imagine my life without him."

"But it could also be the best thing in your life. You could be spending the rest of your life with your best friend."

"Maybe…"

"Gillian, I remember you told me you two were getting closer after the divorce. And you didn't mind, you wanted that. Go with that feeling, Gillian. You deserve that. Don't let this pass you by because you're afraid of getting hurt. Talk to Cal. Share this with him. Don't push him away.""

Gillian nodded. She knew Abby was right. She needed to talk to him. It was just difficult. But there was more. This was Cal. Was Zoe still in the picture? Cal still went back to her.

"What else, Gil?"

"Zoe, Cal's ex wife. He still goes back to her, even though they're divorced and she's in a new relationship. They argue and fight and they enjoy the making up. I'm not sure he can truly leave her."

"If he can't leave his ex alone, then he doesn't deserve you and you're better off without him. Talk to him."

For the rest of the afternoon, Gillian and Abby laughed and talked about many different subjects. When Abby left, Gillian felt better. Her friend had helped her put things in perspective and she was thankful for that. She wondered where Cal had gone to and when he would be back.

When, at the beginning of the evening there was a knock on the front door, Gillian expected Cal on the other side. She was surprised to see Emily, with what appeared to be bags of food in her hand.

"Hi, Gillian." The teen greeted. "I brought food and a chick flick."

"Emily, come on in. Looks like you brought more than enough food for couple of days."

"Yeah well, dad told me to make sure you eat and I wasn't sure what you liked so I picked several things." Emily explained as she followed Gillian into the kitchen.

"Your dad's not coming?" Together with Emily she put all the boxes on the table and grabbed some plates.

"No, he said he was busy and had to work late."

"So he sent you."

"Yeah, but I wanted to come over because I wanted to know how you are."

With both their plates full they sat down. During dinner they talked about school and Jessie's upcoming party. Emily was excited about it.

"So what movie did you bring?" Gillian asked, after dinner as she settled down on the couch.

"While you were sleeping." Emily sat down next to Gillian after putting the DVD in the DVD player.

"Love that one."

"Yeah, me too."

While watching the movie Gillian and Emily laughed and commented on it. They truly enjoyed spending time together.

"You know, my dad does that too." Emily said after a particular scene. They were already halfway through the movie.

"What do you mean?" Gillian watched Lucy walk away from Jack.

"The leaning."

Gillian laughed. "Your dad likes to get into people's personal space."

"True, but he only does the leaning with you."

"He does not."

"Believe me, he does."

Gillian focused back on Jack and Lucy, hoping Emily would follow her lead, which she did and that ended the leaning discussion. That didn't mean the leaning wasn't on her mind. Did Cal really do that?

"I love chick flicks." Emily said after the movie ended.

"Yeah, me too. They always make me feel better."

"Can I ask you something, Gillian?"

Gillian looked at Cal's daughter who was suddenly very serious. "Of course you can."

"Did something happen between you and dad?" Emily turned her body towards Gillian to look at her.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you left our place and you're staying here. Dad hasn't said anything but I know something's wrong. He hasn't been himself. I'm worried about him."

She didn't know how to answer. But before she could formulate an answer, Emily started again. "I liked having you stay with us. You're a part of our family. It seemed like you belonged there."

Gillian felt her eyes water. Whether Emily knew it or not, her words were spot on. "Thank you, Emily. You don't know how much that means to me." Pausing for a moment she collected her thoughts. "I just needed to be in my own home. I can't really explain why."

Emily nodded, accepting the answer. "Just know that you're always welcome. We both love having you with us."

"Thank you, Emily."

"Well, I gotta go to my mom's. Will you be okay?" Emily grabbed the DVD, put it in her bag and walked out of the living room with Gillian following.

"I will. Thanks for coming over. Anytime you feel like watching a chick flick, let me know."

A couple of hours after Emily left, Gillian was still alone. She didn't know where Cal was. She'd held her phone in her hand a couple of times already, but still hadn't called him. She was unsure of what to do. She knew they needed to talk. She wanted to apologize. But she was also apprehensive. She wasn't really ready to talk about everything yet because she was still confused by it all.

Suddenly her phone beeped, signalling her there was a new text message. _Had to work late. Better to stay at my own place. Goodnight luv."_

She didn't like that message at all. She hated it when they were at odds with each other. At least he'd ended the message with a goodnight luv. She debated answering the message. If she didn't apologize she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight so she decided to send a text message. _I'm sorry Cal_

It wasn't enough, but at least it was something. She needed him to know that she was sorry.

**TBC...**


	4. Together

A/N: Here's chapter four, which could be the final chapter. I'm not sure yet. Things are resolved, but I feel that Gillian still has to show Cal the dress and they should still go out to dinner. But then again, things are resolved. So I'm not sure. For those who have followed this fic, I thank you. For those who have taken the time to review, I thank you too. I hope you enjoyed the fic. I certainly did.

**Chapter four**

Cal felt miserable. He'd worked late, hoping it would keep his mind off of Gillian, but it didn't. Back at his home his house felt empty without her there and because of it he'd hardly slept. Gillian was constantly on his mind and it kept him from focusing on his work. Especially with the boring, but necessary financial administrative work he was currently doing. That had never been his strong point and that's why Gillian usually took care of it. He had to talk to Gillian so he grabbed his stuff and left the office.

Gillian was just as miserable. She'd hardly slept and just wanted to clear the air between her and Cal. She didn't know if and when he was going to show up at her place. So she decided to go to the office. It would be good a good distraction and it would be good to see everybody again. Since she didn't have her car anymore, she had to take a cab.

Walking into the building Anna greeted her warmly. On her way to Cal's office she bumped into Eli.

"Gillian, you don't look as bad as I thought."

She smiled. Nothing had changed. He was still brutally honest. "Thank you. How are you Eli?"

"Good. Lightman's spending most of his time with you so we have some peace of mind. Why is he back anyway? Are you two fighting? Because that would explain his terrible mood."

"Is Cal in his office?" Deflection usually worked with Eli.

"Don't know. Haven't really been looking."

"Ok. I'll go look for him myself. Thanks, Eli."

Carefully she made her way to Cal's office. After almost two weeks she was glad to be back again. Hesitantly she knocked on the door and stepped inside. She was disappointed that he wasn't there. Guessing he could be in the video lab she looked for him there and again she didn't find him.

Walking back into her office she decided it was best to get to work. She needed the distraction.

She was glad to be at work and it comforted her in a way. When there was a knock on her door she looked up, expecting it was Cal.

"Hi, Ria, come on in."

"How have you been, Gillian?" Ria asked, taking a seat in one of the two chairs at Gillian's desk.

"Getting better."

"Good."

"How have things been here?"

"We've been able to handle it without you two. But it's weird not having either of you here."

The ringing of Gillian's cell phone interrupted their conversation. Looking at the display she saw it was Cal. "I need to get this."

"Sure, no problem."

"Hi, Cal."

"Where are you, Gillian?" The slight panic in his voice couldn't be denied. "I'm at your place and you're not here. You're not at the hospital, are you?"

"I'm fine, Cal. I'm at work." His obvious worry for her reassured her they would be all right.

"You scared me, luv. I couldn't find you." She heard his hesitation. "Thought I was going to get a call from the hospital again."

She didn't quite know how to respond to that. It hadn't been her intention to scare him. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you at work and how did you get there?"

"I called a cab."

"Why didn't you call me? I would've picked you up."

"Would you really have brought me to work?"

Walking around in her house, Cal was glad to hear her voice. Not finding her in her home scared him. He'd been afraid she was in the hospital again. Afraid that in the one night he'd left her alone something had happened to her. "No and you know why."

A silence fell between them. One that despite their argument didn't feel uncomfortable.

"How about I come pick you up and I'll take you home?" He didn't need to add they needed to talk. It was obvious for both of them.

"Yeah."

"I'll be there in thirty." He was about to hang up when she spoke his name.

"Cal?"

"Yeah luv."

She was hesitant about her next words, but felt she needed to say them. "I missed you."

He'd missed her too, but he didn't want to tell her by phone. "I'll come pick you up." With that he ended the phone call and left Gillian wondering if he was still mad.

Thirty minutes later he was standing at her office and watched her for a moment before walking in. He saw she was nervous. "Your ride is here." He strolled into her office towards her desk.

Gillian gave him a shy smile. She was unsure what to say or do because of the way the phone call ended.

Stopping next to her, he held out his hand for her and helped her up. Still careful for her injuries, he enveloped her in his arms. "I missed you too, Gill." He whispered in her ear.

The tension and unease left her body as soon as she felt his strong arms around her. He always made her feel so safe. She breathed in his familiar scent and relaxed. After a short moment he released her and smiled. "Ready to go home?"

"Yeah, just need a moment to wrap things up."

"Good." Walking back to the other side of her desk, he sat down in one of her chairs and simply watched her. From the way she moved he knew her body was bothering her. She was doing better, but really wasn't there yet. "You pushed yourself a bit too much today?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good to go home then, yeah."

She nodded her agreement. She turned her computer off and grabbed her purse and coat. Cal was quickly by her side to help her put it on.

"I'm gonna need a new car." Gillian said after Cal helped her in his car. "Will you help me pick out a new one?"

"Of course."

"Cal?"

"Yeah?" He glanced at her for a moment before focusing back on the road.

"I'm sorry for what I said. You've been so good to me and you didn't deserve that."

He squeezed her hand for a moment. "And I'm sorry I pushed you."

"I hate being at odds with you."

"Me too, luv."

"Why didn't come home last night?"

He was a bit thrown by her reference to her house as home for the both of them. "I wanted to give you space." Parking the car on her driveway he helped Gillian get out of it. "How was your afternoon with Abby?"

"We had fun. She helped me put some things into perspective."

With his hand on her lower back he guided her through the front door. "Good."

"Do you want your pain medication?"

"No, thanks." Gillian walked into her living room. "They make me drowsy. I'll take them later." She didn't need the pain medication to cloud her mind during her talk with Cal. Besides, she really didn't like taking them and this last week she hadn't even had one. But now she'd clearly done too much. Sitting down on the couch she waited for Cal to join her. He did, but he didn't sit beside her. He sat down on the coffee table. This way it was easier to look at her.

He decided to lay his cards out on the table. He knew unintentionally Gillian had shared more with him than she wanted. He realised he had to even things out. "You've never shut me out before Gill and I didn't know how to handle it. And that's when I usually push. It's just…" He ran his hand through his hair. "I… That was twice in a too short amount that I had to pick you up from the hospital. You scared me. I can't lose you." He paused before uttering his next words. "I'm afraid of losing you."

She reached for his hand to hold it in hers. His honesty and vulnerability was something he almost never showed. That he did so now with her touched her heart. "I'm here, Cal. You haven' lost me. You won't."

Cal entwined his fingers with hers. "Just like you are not going to lose me or Emily." With his finger under her chin, he lifted Gillian's head so she could meet his eyes. "You're part of the family, luv. Allow yourself to believe it and don't ever doubt it."

Gillian cast her eyes downwards. She didn't know how to interpret his words. She didn't want to get it wrong. In what way was she part of his family? As his best friend? Just his best friend? That would be like losing him. No she wanted more.

When she didn't react, Cal wondered if he was missing something. He probably was, but really didn't know what. "Gillian." He said to get her to look at him. When she didn't he tried again. "Gill, please look at me."

"I need more." She whispered, almost afraid to utter the words. She still refused to look at him, fear of seeing rejection.

He didn't understand her and he really didn't like it that she refused to look at him. He needed to look into her beautiful expressive eyes to help him understand. "More what?"

She finally looked at him. "I need more of you."

"More?" Then it dawned on him and he smiled. Now he understood and it was understandable. They hadn't really talked about it yet. "Why the doubt, luv?" He let her hand go, reached out and cupped her cheek with his palm. "Gill, when I say that you're part of the family, I don't mean as just my best friend. I love you, Gill. I'm in love with you." The way she looked at him made him wonder why he'd never seen her love for him before.

He softly brushed his thumb over her soft lips before closing the distance between them. He leaned forward until his lips brushed hers. First once, then twice, getting a taste and a feel for her. And what he tasted and felt made him want more. His hand found its way in her silken hair as he brought her closer. When he deepened the kiss, she returned it just as passionately. Pushing her backwards into the cushions of the couch he settled his weight slightly on her and forgot about her injuries.

She always knew he was a passionate man, but now she experienced that passion all focused on her. The feel of his body against her, the way he kissed her, it made her forget about everything else but him. Except her body didn't make her forget and when she tried to shift, it reminded her that her ribs were still sore. She removed her hands from Cal's hair, placed them on his chest and reluctantly pushed him away.

Leaning his head against hers, Cal took a deep breath. "Wow." He said breathless.

"Yeah." Gillian said, just as breathless.

"You okay, luv?" He softly placed a kiss on her head before he sat back on the coffee table.

"Yes." She sighed. "My ribs are bothering me."

"Damn, sorry. I forgot."

Gillian smiled at him. "Yeah, well you made me forget too."

He couldn't help the grin from appearing on his face. "Let me get your pain meds and then you get some rest."

When he stood up Gillian's hand on his stopped him. With her other hand she signalled him to get closer. When he was close enough she put her hand on his neck and closed the last bit of distance between them until their lips met in a soft kiss. "I love you too, Cal."

With a dopey grin on his face, Cal left Gillian alone and grabbed her pain meds. He returned and handed her the meds. He sat down next to her and immediately pulled her against his side. In the comfortable silence that followed they both enjoyed the closeness. It wasn't new, however with their just added admission of their feelings, it felt different.

After a short while, it was Cal who ended the silence. "How about we go to dinner and you can finally show me that dress you bought? I remember I had to have a good reason for you to show it to me. I think we have a good enough reason, right?"

When he got no answer and only a hmm, he looked down and found her asleep on his shoulder. He smiled. The pain meds made her drowsy. Careful to avoid waking her he stood up and picked her up. Walking to her bedroom he gently placed her on her bed.


End file.
